Calendering mechanism



y 4, 1961 J. R. WHITEHURST 3, 2 5

CALENDERING MECHANI SM Filed Aug. 19, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. I JbE-E.WH1TEHU2&T

BY A4 94 ATTORNEYS 4, 1967 J. R. WHITEHURST 3,323,851

CALENDERING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 19, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORI Jot;- R.\ \/HITEHUEST ATTORNEY .S

United States Patent 3,328,851 CALENDERKNG MEEHANISM Joe R. Whitehurst, Bessemer City, N.C., assignor to Ideal Industries, Inc, Bessemer City, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Filed Aug. 19, 1966, Ser. No. 573,716 3 Claims. (Cl. 19-457) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The calendering mechanism comprises a pair of coopcrating rolls preferably mounted to minimize attendant machine vibration being imparted thereto, and wherein one of the rolls is eccentrically mounted relative to the other with adjustment means being provided to vary the compressive force exerted on the strand material passing between the nip of the rolls, and wherein the eccentrically mounted roll is resiliently urged toward the other roll and may move away from the other roll upon an abnormal thickness of material passing therebetween or in the event of a lap-up around one of the rolls.

This invention relates to calendering mechanisms such as are employed in drawing frames, roving frames and like apprataus for processing textile sliver, roving and other strand material, and more specifically relates to an improved calendering mechanism particularly suited for use in the high-speed operation of such apparatus.

Drawing frames and other apparatus for processing textile strand material are at present operated at speeds considerably greater than those previously believed feasible. The operation of such apparatus at high speeds requires that its condition-responsive components be capable of highly sensitive and rapid reaction to changes in operating conditions, yet at the same time occasions increased machine vibration which tends to make such components even less sensitive than usual. The conventional calendering mechanism, including a calender roll mounted by bearing blocks for unitary sliding movement therewith away from a cooperating roll upon the occurrence of a lap-up upon either roll is one such condition-responsive compo nent which in high speed peration has not consistently performed satisfactorily, resulting in roll misalignment and/ or breakage necessitating machine stoppage for purposes of repair.

With the foregoing in mind, a primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved calendering mechanism which is highly sensitive and rapidly responsive to changes in thickness of the strand material being processed, and which neither contributes materially to nor is greatly affected by machine vibration, even during high-speed operation.

A related and more specific object is the provision of a calendering mechanism of the aforesaid type in which adjustment of the relative positions of the calender rolls in response to variations in thickness of the strand material being processed is achieved by movement of at least one of said rolls about an eccentric axis extending therethrough, and in which translational movement of neither such roll nor its supporting bearings is required.

Another related and more specific object is the provision of a calendering mechanism in which the aforesaid problems of responsiveness and vibration are minimized by the utilization therein of at least one calender roll of relatively small length and mass, and by the selective utilization of vibration insulating media.

Another object is the provision of a calendering mechanism capable of being readily adjusted when desired to vary the path of travel of the roving, sliver or other textile strands emanating therefrom, to vary the desired compres- 3,328,851 Patented July 4, 1967 sive force exerted upon the strand material and/ or to vary the sensitivity of the mechanism to changes in the thickness of such strand material.

Still other objects and advantages will be in part evident and in part pointed out hereinafter in the following description of illustrative embodiments of the invention, which should be read in conjunction with the accompanyingd rawing, in which FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partially in vertical section, of a drawing frame incorporating a calendering mechanism embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the calendering mechanism of FIGURE 1, with certain immediately-associated additional components of the drawing frame also being shown;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the front calender roll of the calendering mechanism, with a portion of its fluted outer shell broken away to show details of construction;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken through the mechanism substantially along the line and in the direction of the arrows 4-4 of FIGURE 2, with some of the components being shown in front elevation;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged vertical section, partially in side elevation, taken through the mechanism substantially along the line and in the direction of the arrows 5-5 of FIGURE 2, and showing the position of the components of the mechanism during normal operation;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5, but showing the position assumed by the components of the calendering mechanism upon the occurrence of a lap-up condition therein;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the central portion of a calendering mechanism such as is shown in FIG- URE 2, but employing calender rolls having smooth rather than fluted exterior surfaces; and

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged vertical section, partially in side elevation, taken substantially along the line and in the direction of the arrows 38 of FIGURE 7, and showing the position of the components of the calendering mechanism of FIGURE 7 during normal operation.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the calendering mechanism of the present invention is designated in its entirety in FIGURE 1 by the numeral 10 and is shown in association with a drawing frame having the usual drafting rolls 12, trumpet i4, guide tube 16 and coiler head 18. As is conventional, mechanism 10 is located between trumpet 14 and guide tube 16, which components are in approximate vertical alignment with each other, so as to receive and compress the sliver or other textile strand material S during its passage from the former and to the latter. While a single-delivery drawing frame is shown in the drawings, it should be understood that this is for purposes of illustration only and that the calendering mechanism of the present invention is equally capable of being employed in association with multipledelivery frames and/or other textile-processing apparatus in which a calendering operation is performed.

As is best shown in FIGURE 2, calendering mechanism 10 consists generally of front and rear calender rolls 2t), 22, respectively; support means for each of the rolls, including bracket members 24, 24' and bearings 26, 26, respectively; and means including a tension spring 28, lever arm 30 and adjustable stop member 32 for resiliently maintaining a desired nip-spacing between the rolls during normal operation of the mechanism while permitting enlargement of such spacing in response to the occurrence of a lap-up condition or other increase in the thickness of the strand material S within the mechanism at any given point in time.

Rear calender roll 22 0f the mechanism 10 includes an elongate shaft portion 22' and a relatively-short cylindrical shell portion 22", the exterior surface of which is fluted as shown in FIGURE 2, formed integrally and concentrically therewith. Roll 22 extends substantially horizontally above coiler head 18 of the drawing frame with its fluted shell portion 22 disposed immediately adjacent guide tube 16. It is there mounted for rotative movement, in a clockwise direction (as viewed in FIGURE 2) and under the impetus of any suitable driving mechanism (not shown), by bearings 26, 26', which encircle shaft portion 22' of roll 22 in spaced relationship to the opposite ends of shell portion 22 thereof. Neither roll 22 nor bearings 26, 26' directly engage the drawing frame. Rather, bearings 26, 26' are supported as shown by annular blocks 34, 34', respectively, which are in turn bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the frame, as against slide stands 36, 36' thereof, Blocks 34, 34' are each constructed of compressed fiber or other material similarly possessing good vibration-insulating properties, so as to dampen if not altogether eliminate the transmission of vibration between roll 22 of calendering mechanism and the other components of the drawing frame in connection with which the mechanism is employed. While blocks 34, 34' would also serve to insulate the drafting rolls and other components of the drawing frame from any vibration which might originate within calendering mechanism 10, the converse and primary function of blocks 34, 34 is to insulate roll 22 and the other components of mechanism It from the extrinsic machine-vibration attendant operation of the drafting and coiling mechanisms of the drawing frame. The dampening of such vibration is particularly desirable, as noted previously, during high-speed operation of the drawing frame.

Brackets 24, 24' of mechanism 10, which brackets are each of flat and generally rectangular shape, are disposed adjacent opposite ends of shell portion 22" of rear roll 22 and extend forwardly from such roll in spaced, parallel relationship to each other. The rear end portions of brackets 24, 24 are provided with aligned bores within which bearings 38, 38, respectively, are press-fitted or otherwise securely mounted. Bearings 38, 38 receive shaft portion 22 of rear roll 22, such that brackets 24, 24' are each supported at one end thereof by roll 22 without impeding the rotative movement of the latter. Adjacent their forward end portions, brackets 24, 24' are each provided with and supported by depending leg members 40, 40 comprising fixed, internally-threaded components 41, 41 and vertically-adjustable, externally-threaded components 42, 42', respectively. Components 42, 42 are supported at their lower ends by the coiler-head cover plate 44 of the drawing frame and, in keeping with blocks 34, 34 preferably are formed of compressed fiber or other material possessing good vibration-insulating properties.

Extending between brackets 24, 24' and supported thereby in closely-spaced, parallel relationship to rear roll 22 of calendering mechanism 10 is the front calender roll thereof. As is best shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, front roll 20 includes a central shaft portion 20, and a hollow cylindrical shell portion 20", the latter being of the same short length and having its exterior surface fluted in the same manner as shell portion 22" of rear roll 22. Bearings 46, 48 carried by shaft portion 20 of roll 20 mount shell portion 20" concentrically therewith for free rotative movement relative to shaft portion 20' about the central axis thereof. Formed integrally with and projecting normally outwardly from the opposite ends of the central shaft portion 20 of front roll 20 are a pair of smallerdiameter stub shafts 52, 54. The axes of shafts 52, 54 are in longitudinal alignment with each other, but are disposed in laterally offset, parallel relationship to the axis of shaft portion 20' of front roll 20 in such a manner that the projection therefore defines an eccentric axis A (see FIGURE 4) extending through the front roll.

Roll 20 is mounted between brackets 24, 24 for movement about eccentric axis A, such movement being along 4 an arcuate path of travel centered about such axis, by bearings 56, 56' (see FIGURE 4), respectively, which are mounted within aligned bores provided through the forward end portions of the brackets and which receive shafts 52, 54, respectively. Shaft 52 projects outwardly beyond its bearing 56 a short distance. Rigidly secured to the projecting outer end of shaft 52, as by means of a set-screw 60, is the lower end-portion of lever arm 30. From its point of connection with shaft 52, lever arm 30 extends upwardly generally parallel to bracket 24, and carries at its upper end an inwardly extending pin 62 to which is secured the forwardmost end of coil spring 28. At its rear end the coil spring 28 connects with a bolt 64 which is adjustably secured, as by means of a lock-nut 66, within a threaded bore extending through a suitable boss 68 formed integrally with an extending upwardly from the rear end portion of bracket 24, Spring 28, the tensionforce of which may be readily varied as desired simply by appropriate rotation of bolts 64, biases lever arm 30 and shafts 20', 52 and 54 for pivotal movement about the axis A in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in FIG- URE 2. The extent of such pivotal movement is limited, as shown in FIGURE 2, by abutment of lever arm 30 with the forward end of adjustable stop member 32, which may take the illustrated form of a screw secured by a lock-nut 76) within a threaded bore provided through a boss '72 extending outwardly from the side of bracket 24.

It will be apparent that pivotal movement of lever arm 30 about axis A eccentrically varies the position of shell 20" of front roll 20 and therefore varies the spacing between the adjacent fiuted surfaces of shells 20", 22", and vice-versa. By the appropriate rotation of screw 32 and the consequential variation in position of lever arm 30, the eccentric position of shell 20" about axis A may be readily initially adjusted to provide whatever nip-spacing might be desired between shells 20", 22 during normal operation of mechanism 10, taking into consideration the normal thickness of the strand material S passing therethrough, the extent of the calendering which it is desired to impart to the same, etc. As shown in FIGURE 5, this initial setting of the nip-spacing between shells 20", 22" is customarily such that the fluted exterior surfaces thereof intermesh to a degree but do not bottom one against the other.

As is also apparent from FIGURE 5, the initial setting is such that axis A is disposed in a plane different from that containing the axes of rotation of shells 20", 22", and preferably is disposed in a plane extending at a right angle thereto.

The aforesaid initial setting of the nip-spacing between shells 2G", 22" will be maintained, once made, during operation of the drawing frame for so long as the thickness of the strand material S passing therethrough, during its travel from trumpet 14 to guide tube 16, remains substantially constant. Thus, while the movement of the strand material and the positive rotation of rear roll 22 occurring during the operation of the drawing frame will produce oppositely-directed rotative movement of shell 20', as indicated by the arrows of FIGURE 5, such movement occurs about the common central axes of front roll 29, shell 20" and shaft 20', and not about the eccentric axis A extending through the front roll. However, upon the occurrence of a sufficient variation in the thickness of the strand material S passing through mechanism 10, the eccentric mounting of front roll 20 automatically and instantaneously cause-s there to be produced a compensating variation in the nip-spacing between shells 20" and 22". Thus, in the case of a sufiicient increase in the thickness of the strand material S as might be caused by the occurrence of a lap-up upon either shell 20 or 22", as is illustrated in FIGURE 6, the attendant increased force exerted upon shell 20" in the area of its tangency to shell 22" produces an applied moment which pivots front roll 20 about eccentric axis A, such pivotal movement being in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 6 and being of course accompanied by corresponding pivotal movement of lever arm 39 against the biasing influence of the spring 28 connected to such lever arm. Since movement of shell 20" away from shell 22" is inherent in the aforesaid pivotal movement of front roll 20, there is a resulting increase in the nip-spacing between the shells which does not permit the forces therebetween to reach such a magnitude a to damage either calender roll or the strand material therebetween.

Upon elimination of the lap-up condition or other reduction in the abnormal thickness of the strand material S, the components of mechanism are automatically returned from their FIGURE 6 positions to their FIG- URE 5 positions by the clockwise rotation of front roll and lever arm 30 about axis A under the impetus of spring 28. Once the desired nip-spacing between shells 20", 22" is again thu achieved, as determined by the tension-force of spring 28 and/ or the adjustive position of stop-screw 32, the same again remains constant for so long as the thickness of strand material S remains within an acceptable range.

It will be appreciated that adjustment of the sensitivity of mechanism 10i.e., the amount of variation in strandthickness necessary to produce a compensating change in nip-spacing-may be readily achieved by adjustment of the force exerted upon lever arm 30 by spring 28. Control of the magnitude of such force may be realized not only through the initial selection of the spring having the desired force-characteristics, but also to a certain extent by shortening or lengthening of the spring through appropriate rotation of bolt 64. When desired, mechanism 10 may be so adjusted as to be highly sensitive to even quite small changes in the thickness of strand material S. Contributing significantly to this capability is the relatively small mass of front roll 20, the length of which is considerably less than that of calender rolls heretofore customarily employed, and the quite small frictional-drag associated with its adjustive movement about eccentric axis A.

Helping to insure the successful performance of mechanism 10, even when the same is adjusted for highly-sensitive operation, are the previously-discussed vibration-insulating properties of blocks 34, 34' and leg members 40, 40, together with the previously mentioned relatively small mass and therefore correspondingly small vibration-producing tendencies of roll 20. The insulation of mechanism 10 from the vibration produced by other components of the drawing frame is particularly desirable during high-speed operation, as noted previously, although blocks 34, 34' and leg members 40, 40' of course continuously function in this regard at all operating speeds. leg members 40, 40' also permit precise adjustment of the relative positions of the nip between shells 20", 22" and guide tube 16, so as to insure that the strand material S exiting from the former will at all times be properly received by the latter. Since the connection between brackets 24, 24' and rear roll 20 permits pivotal movement of the former relative to and about the central axis of the latter, such adjustment may be quickly made, at the time mechanism 10 is initially installed and subsequently if necessary, simply by appropriate rotation of adjustable components 42, 42' of leg members 40, 40'.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG- URES 7 and 8 is the same as that shown in FIGURES 1 through 6, except for the outer shells of the front and rear calender rolls of the mechanism having smooth, rather than fluted, exterior working surfaces. In FIGURES 7 and "8, the numerals 74 and 76 designate the outer shells of the front and rear calender rolls, respectively, and the numerals 74', 76' designate intermeshing gears formed integrally therewith for the purpose of transmitting the rotative movement of the latter to the former. Along the remaining, major portion of their lengths, shells 74, 76

may be provided with a smooth sheath of suitable composition.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided a calendering mechanism realizing the objects and possessing the advantages, together with many practical benefits, hereinbefore noted. Although specific embodiments of the mechanism have been shown and described, this was for the purpose of illustration only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being in accordance with the following claims.

That which is claimed is:

1. A calendering mechanism for textile drawing and like strand-processing apparatus, comprising:

a pair of cooperating calender rolls;

vibration-insulating means adapted to be mounted upon said apparatus; bearing means carried by said vibration-insulating means and mounting one of said calender rolls for rotative movement about the central axis thereof;

means mounting the other of said rolls in closelyspaced and generally parallel relationship to said one of said rolls for rotative movement of the peripheral surface of said other of said rolls about the central axis thereof, in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of said one of said rolls for passage of strand material through the nip between said rolls, and for independent movement toward and away from said one of said rolls along an arcuate path of travel centered about an eccentric axis extending in spaced parallel relationship to the axis of rotation of the peripheral surface of said other of said rolls;

resilient means biasing said other of said .rolls along said path of travel thereof eccentrically toward said one of said rolls; and

said other of said rolls being eccentrically movable along said path of travel thereof away from said one of said rolls in response to increases in thickness of the strand material passing through the nip between said rolls. 2. A calendering mechanism as in claim 1, wherein said means mounting said other of said rolls includes bracket means extending between said rolls, bearing means interconnecting said one of said rolls and one end portion of said bracket means for supporting said one end portion of said bracket means upon said one of said rolls while permitting free rotative movement of said one of said rolls relative to said bracket means and while permitting adjustive pivotal movement of said bracket means relative to said one of said rolls and about the central axis thereof, and adjustable support means carried by the opposite end portion of said bracket means, said adjustable means extending toward and being adapted to engage said apparatus for supporting said opposite end portion of said bracket and for adjustably maintaining said bracket means in a desired pivotal position relative to said one of said rolls.

3. A calendering mechanism as in claim 1, and further including stop means operatively connected to said other of said rolls for limiting movement of said other of said rolls along said path of travel there-of toward said one of said rolls, and wherein the peripheral surfaces of said rolls are fluted.

covering (not shown) or References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 6/ 1937 Germany. 1/ 1963 Great Britain.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. I. C. WADDEY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CALENDERING MECHANISM FOR TEXTILE DRAWING AND LIKE STRAND-PROCESSING APPARATUS, COMPRISING: A PAIR OF COOPERATING CALENDER ROLLS: VIBRATION-INSULATING MEANS ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED UPON SAID APPARATUS; BEARING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID VIBRATION-INSULATING MEANS AND MOUNTING ONE OF SAID CALENDER ROLLS FOR ROTATIVE MOVEMENT ABOUT THE CENTRAL AXIS THEREOF; MEANS MOUNTING THE OTHER OF SAID ROLLS IN CLOSELYSPACED AND GENERALLY PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP TO SAID ONE OF SAID ROLLS FOR ROTATIVE MOVEMENT OF THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF SAID OTHER OF SAID ROLLS ABOUT THE CENTRAL AXIS THEREOF, IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO THE DIRECTION OF ROTATION OF SAID ONE OF SAID ROLLS FOR PASSAGE OF STRAND MATERIAL THROUGH THE NIP BETWEEN SAID ROLLS, AND FOR INDEPENDENT MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID ONE OF SAID ROLLS ALONG AN ARCUATE PATH OF TRAVEL CENTERED ABOUT AN ECCENTRIC AXIS EXTENDING IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP TO THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF SAID OTHER OF SAID ROLLS; 